1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a high altitude survivable precision airdrop system, and is directed more particularly to a cluster of round parachutes for high altitude heavy cargo delivery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High altitude parachute airdrop delivery significantly reduces aircraft vulnerability to ground fire, and precision airdrop provides precise delivery of payloads where needed. Such systems reduce drop zone sizes and load dispersion for quick airdrop mobility. Typically, ram-air parafoils have been relied upon for high altitude precision airdrops. Because of their high manufacturing costs, there is interest in using lower cost round parachutes for guided precision airdrops. However, circular parachutes inherently do not provide the desired glide capability.
For heavy cargo delivery, clusters of round parachutes often are needed. The glide and control of clustered round parachutes have proven problematic. The motion of clustered parachutes is highly random, depending on the flow interaction among the individual parachute canopies and the prevailing wind conditions. Individual glide and control methods applied to each canopy may work with respect to individual canopies, but when the canopies are clustered together, the random geometry of the cluster, the complicated flow conditions of the canopies and their interaction have made it almost impossible to exert glide and control for the cluster as a whole.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new clustered round parachute assembly that provides a capability for gliding and control.
An object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a high altitude precision airdrop system including clustered round parachutes for delivering of heavy cargo.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a parachute cluster assembly comprising a first round parachute having a first canopy of radially extending first gores, a second round parachute having a second canopy of radially extending second gores, with adjacent ones of the first gores being joined along a line to adjacent ones of the second gores to fix the first canopy to the second canopy along the line. The first canopy defines a first slot spaced from but neighboring the first gores joined along the line, and the second canopy defines a second slot spaced from but neighboring the second gores joined along the line. The first and second slots are disposed on a same side of the cluster assembly.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, there is provided a parachute cluster assembly comprising a first round parachute having a first canopy of radially extending first gores, a second round parachute having a second canopy of radially extending second gores, with adjacent ones of the first gores being joined along a line to adjacent ones of the second gores to fix the first canopy to the second canopy along the line. The first canopy defines a first slot extending substantially widthwise through a first group of adjacent gores neighboring the first gores joined along the line, the first slot being substantially concentric with a hem portion of the first canopy, and the second canopy defines a second slot extending substantially widthwise through a second group of adjacent gores neighboring the second gores joined along the line, the second slot being substantially concentric with a hem portion of the second canopy. The first and second slots are disposed on a same side of the cluster assembly.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of arrangements and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular assemblies embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.